Elevatob attachment fob



H. J. CASE.

ELEVATOR ATTACHMENT FOR GRAIN BINDERS.

APPLICATTON FILI'D OCT- 30. 1915- 1 05,879, Patented June 3, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

6] foam e 13 S H. 1. CASE.

ELEVATOR ATTACHMENT FOR GRAIN BINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1915.

1 35,879., I Patented June 3, 1919.

4- SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ami Mean H. J. CASE.

ELEVATOR ATTACHMENI FOR GRAIN BINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. so, 1915.

1 ,305,879 Patented une 3, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l H. J. cA'sE. ELEVATOR KTTACHMQNT-FOR GRAIN BINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, I9-l 5.

Patented June 3 5141) 11 loz Gl'owm -4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

M u L HENRY J. CASE, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGN'OR T0 MOLINE PLOW COMPANY,

' A GQRIORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR ATTACHMENT FO R GBAIN -BINDERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed October 80, 1915. Serial No. 58,764.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. C Asn, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator Attachments for Grain-Binders, of which the following is a specificatiom. reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to elevating mechanism employed as attachments more particularlv to corn harvesters and binders, to elevate the bound bundles so that they may be discharged into a wagon traveling at the side of the machine.

The invention consists of various improvements, directed more particularly to the form and construction of the elevating mechanism; to the manner of mounting and sustaining the same on the frame of the machine; to the manner of adjusting the mechanism to vary the height of discharge; to the means for operating the mechanism from the travel of the machine, and to va rious other features of construction, which I will be fully set forth in the specification to follow, and the novel parts of which will be defined in the appended claims.

[In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a rear elevation of a rear portion of a corn harvester and binder having my invention applied thereto.

F is. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional'elevation, -on an enlarged scale, of the elevator frame with certain parts omitted.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the same.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the lower end of the elevator mechanism, showing how the same is supported from the frame of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation through the elevating mechanism on the line aa of Figs. 1 and 3.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views of details of the elevator frame.

how the elevator frame is supported for remo al from the machine.

Fig. 10 is a view of details of the supporting member for the elevator frame.

Fig. 11 is a perspective viewof the outer supporting standard for the elevator frame Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation showing.

and the shaft bearing sleeve separated from said standard. 5

Referring to the drawings:

1 indicates the rear portion of a corn harvester and binder, comprising a frame 2 supported by ground Wheels 3 and 4, and giving support to a binding mechanism 5, by which the cut stalks are bound into bundles and delivered in succession at the tea of the machine.

Sustained at the rear end of the machine is an upwardly inclined transversely extending elevatlng conveyer mechanism 6, in pos1t1on to receive the bundles at its lower end, and operating to convey the same upwardly so that they may be discharged from the upper end and caused to enter a wagon or other suitable receptacle traveling at the side of the machine. This mechanism comprises an elevator frame consisting of two upright parallel side boards 7, 7, Which are fixedly connected together at intervals by means of connecting cross bars 8 extending between and fastened to the side boards in the manner to be more fully described hereinafter, a plate 9 being secured to the upper sides of the cross bars, so that there is produced by this arrangement an elevator frame oftrough-like form having a bottom to support the bundles. Bolted to the outer sides of the two side boards respectively, at their lower ends, are castings l0 and 10 provided respectively with arms 11 and 11 extending beyond the lower ends of the boards.

Also bolted to the outer sides of the side boards at their upper ends are two castings l2 and 12 provided with longitudinally extending alined slots 13, the purpose of which will presently appear.

frame, a horizontal longitudinal supporting bar 15, which is firmly fixed at its forward end to the machine frame. A standard 16 is fixed to and extends upwardly from the 'bar near the forward end of the same, and a second standard 17 is firmly fixed to and extends upwardly from the rear end of the bar, the latter being suitably sustained at its outer end by means of two brace bars 18 and 18 connected at their rear ends with the standard 1'1 and at their forward ends with the machine frame. The upper end of the standard 16 is provided with a vertical open slot 16 formed with an inwardly projecting rib 16*. Likewise the outer standard 17 is provided in its upper end with a vertical open slot 1:? provided with an inwardly pro ecting rib 17 Seated removably in the slot 1n the front standard is a supporting sleeve 20 formed between its ends with a peripheral groove 21 which receives the rib 16 of the slot, and is held thereby against endwlse displacement, the sleeve belng removably retained in the slot by means of a horlzontal fastening pin 22 extending through the standard over the sleeve. The rear end of the sleeve projects rearwardly beyond the rear side of the standard and forms in effect a supporting boss which extends loosely through a circular opening in the lower end of the arm 11; and gives pivotal support thereto. Seated in the slot in the rear standard is a similar sleeve 23, provided between its ends with a peripheralgroove 23, in which the rib 17 on the standard 17 extends, and by which the sleeve is held agamst endwise displacement. This sleeve is likewise fastened removably in the slot by means of a horizontal fastening pin 23 extending through the standard over the sleeve. The forward end of the sleeve extends forwardly beyond the front side of the standard and forms in effect a supporting bosswhich extends loosely in, a circular openmg in the outer arm 11 and gives pivotal support to the same.- The two bearing sleeves are disposed in alinement with each other so that they conjointly constitute a pivotal support for the lower end of the elevator frame, on which the frame may be rocked about a hor1- zontal axis coincident with the axes of the.

sleeves, the latter being provided with central horizontal bearing openings in horizontal alinement with each other for the purpose presently to be described. By means of the construction described, the elevator frame may be removed bodily from its supporting standards by first removing the confining pins 22 and 23 whereupon the lower end of the frame may be lifted, with the two supporting sleeves attached, as a whole from the standards.

Traveling on the bottom of the elevator frame is an endless conveying mechanism in the form of two endless sprocket chains 27 and 28, which are connected together at intervals by transverse slats 29 provided wlth outwardly extending fingers or teeth. The sprocket chains pass at the lower end of i the frame, around inner and outer sprocket wheels 30 and 31 respectively, mounted fixedly on a rotary shaft 32, which shaft is journaled in the horizontal bearing openings in the sleeves 20 and 23 before alluded to. At the upper end of the conveyer frame, the sprocket chains pass around inner and outer idler wheels 33 and 34 respectively, these wheels being mounted on a horizontal shaft 35, extending and guided at its ends through the slots 13 in the upper castings 12, 12 before alluded to. The shaft 35 is supported in two arms 36 connected fixedly to the upper ends respectively of two angle bars 37, which extend longitudinally along the bottom plate 9 of the frame at the inner sides of the side boards 7, 7, the horizontal flanges of the bars resting on the bottom plate at its outer edges, and the vertical flanges ofthe bars bearing against the inner sides of the side boards. These bars 37 are movable longitudinally of the frame, and are guided in their movements and confined on the Sideboards, by means of cleats 38 fixed to the inner sides of the side boards and cleats 39 on the castings 11, 11*, which cleats overhang the upper edges of the vertical flanges as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. As a result of the construction described, the shaft 35 may be moved by the endwise movement of the bars 37, longitudinally of the elevator frame, the ends of the shaft in such movement sliding in the slots 13. The purpose of this movement of the shaft is to adjust the tension of the sprocket chains, the adjustment being effected in thepresent instance by means of two pinions 40 fixed to a horizontal shaft 41, extending below the bottom plate 9 and mounted at its ends in bearings in the castings 11, 11 The pinions are in position to engage two rack bars 42 fixed to the under side of the two angle bars 37, as shown in Fig. 3, the outer end of the shaft having fixed to it a ratchet wheel 43, the teeth of which are engaged by a locking pawl 44 pivoted to the outer casting 11. By rotating the shaft41 in one or the other direction, which may be effected by the application of a wrench to the outer squared end 41*? of theshaft, the angle bars will be moved longi-.

tudinally, according to the direction of movement of the shaft, with the result that the shaft 35 sustaining the idler wheels 33 34, will be shifted longitudinally of the elevator frame in the guiding slots 13, and the idler wheels will be correspondingly shifted and the tension of the sprocket chains will be adjusted.

The bottom plate 9 before alluded to terminates at its upper end below the shaft 35, and in order that in the adjustments of the shaft, the continuity of the bottom of the elevator frame Will be preserved, I provide a supplemental bottom plate 9 the upper end of which is bent around as at 9 to surround the shaft 35, whence the plate extends moaeve ments of the shaft 35, the supplemental botone end a sprocket wheel 48 around which tom plate will be shifted with the shaft and will constitute in efiect an extensible con-- tinuation of the main bottom of the frame.-

The main bottom plate 9 is extended at its lower end downwardly beyond the lower ends of the side boards, and between the arms 11 and 11 the extremity of the plate being curved downwardly soas to overlie the shaft 32, thereby constituting a receiving surface for the bound bund es as they are advanced from the binding mechanism to the elevating mechanism.

The elevating mechanism receives its motion .from a driving sprocket wheel 45 mounted loosely on shaft 32 at the inner side of the sprocket wheel 30, the two wheels being interlocked with each other in driving engagement by means of a tooth 30 on wheel 30 engaging in a notch 45 on the driving sprocket 45. As' a result of this construction, when the driving sprocket is rotated it will rotate sprocket wheel 30, and due to the fact that this wheel is fixed to the shaft 32, the latter will be rotated and will impart a corresponding rotation to the outer sprocket wheel .31, which is also fixed to the shaft. This will cause the two sprocket chains and connected slats to travel.

upwardly on the bottom of the elevator frame, and the bundles supported by the bottom of the frame, will be advanced upwardly therealong to the discharge end of the frame, the two sprocket chains being supported in their upward travel, respectively on'the horizontal flanges of the longitudinal angle bars 37.

The driving sprocket 45 receives motion from the. ground wheel 3 of the machine through a train of gearing shown more particularly in Fig. 2, Where it will be seen that there is mounted in suitable bearings 46' fixed to the frame 2, a horizontal transversely extending shaft 47 having fixed to passes a sprocket chain 49 which passes also around a sprocket wheel 50 rotatable with the ground wheel 3. At its opposite end the shaft 47 is provided with a bevel gear 51 which engages a bevel pinion 52 fixed to a longitudinally extending horizontal shaft 53 mounted in bearings 54 fixed to the frame bar 2. On the rear end of the shaft 53 is a sprocket wheel 55 which is connected with the driving sprocket 45 by means of a sprocket chain 56. As a result of this construction, the motion of the ground wheel 3 in the advance of the machine, will be transmitted to the elevating mechanism.

The upwardly inclined elevator frame is given support from beneath by means ofa supporting member 57 shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2. The supporting member consists in the present instance of a strut 58, thelower end of which has fixed to it a bearing bracket 59 provided with horizontal al ned openings loosely surroundingand rece1v1n pivotal support from, a fore-and-aft exten mg rod 60. This rod is sustained at slots 65 in plates 66 and 67 respectively,

which plates are fixed to thes'ideboards 7 and 7 and extend downwardly therefrom.

The strut is maintained in inclined position, so that the supporting arm will sustain the frame, by means of a sustaining rod 68, the upper end of which is jointed to the forked head 63 as at 69, while the lower end of the rod is connected with the frame 2 of the machine. This rod is adjustable longitudinally by means of a turn buckle 70,

so that by the operation of the turn buckle, the upper ond'of the strut may be elevated, in order to elevate the upper end of the elevator frame, or the strut may be lowered in order to lower the upper end of the frame, these adjustments bemg for the purpose of varying the inclination of the elevator frame and consequently the height of the discharge end'of the same, the supporting arm in such adjustments sliding endwise in the longitudinal slots 65. It is seen therefore that the upper portion of the elevator frame receives its support by the supporting arm through the medium of the slotted plates 66, the upper walls of which slots rest on the arm and give support to the frame at this point.

The strut is braced and prevented from binding on its pivotal support by means of a brace rod 71, the lower forward end of which is connected with the forward end of the rod 60, while the rear upper end of the brace rod is connected with the forward end of the supporting arm "64, as shown in Fig. 2.

I deem this method of supporting the elevator frame of special importance and advantage in constructions of this type, in that it avoids the employment of caster wheels which have heretofore been employed for this purpose, and which have been found objectionable for many reasons, mainly on account of the insecure support iven to the elevator frame, the shaking an vibrating motion imparted to the latter due to the where the support is most effective in preventing strain on the parts.

The method of sustaining the lower end (if the conveyer frame as described, permits the elevator frame to be removed bodily from the machine as heretofore stated. In such removal it will be necessary to unhook the sprocket chain 56. The elevator frame will now be free to be lifted at its lower end from the standards and may be entirely removed together with the shafts 32 and 35 and the connected conveyer chains 27 and 28. It will be understood that in eflecting the removal of the elevator frame as described, it will be necessary of course to disconnect the supporting arm 65L from the under side of the frame. This may be effected by removing the two cotter pins 64: and 64" from the opposite ends of the arm 64 and withdrawing the latter endwise to disengage the same from the slots 65 in the plates 66 and 67.

The cross bars 8 are connected with the sideboards of the elevator frame, by connecting devices of the form shown in Figs. 7

and 8, where-it will be seen that each of the cross bars is provided adjacent its ends respectively, with transverse. holes 72 with which communicate longitudinal openings 73' extending outwardly from the holes, through the ends of .the bars. Extending through the longitudinal openings are fastening bolts 74 which extend outwardly through openings in the sideboards, and through plates 7 5 seated against the outer sides of the sideboards, the outer ends of thebolts being provided with heads 76 bearing against the outer sides of the plates. The inner ends of the bolts pass through castings 77 seated against the outer walls of the holes 7 2, nuts 7 7 being applied to the inner ends of the bolts and seated in sockets 78in the castings or blocks 77. As a result of the construction described the sideboards may be drawn firmly against the ends of the cross bars, by a clamping pressure exerted longitudinally of the cross bars. By this means the parts are held with unusual firmness and rigidity 'in connected relations, the interior of the frame being free from the extraneous fastening devices commonly employed, so that the sprocket chains and parts connected therewithare given a free and unobstructed path of movement within the elevator frame.

Fender boards 79 are supplied 'to the upper edges of the sideboards and are fastened thereto by means of straps 80 bolted at intervals to the outer sides of the fender boards and extending along the outer sides of the sideboards, the lower ends of the said straps being seated in sockets 81 in the inner sides of the plates 75, and being confined harvester frame on a fore and aft axis and extendin upwardly therefrom beyond the side of t e harvester, a'supporting strut for the elevator frame pivoted at its inner end to the harvester frame on a fore and aft axis and extending upwardly therefrom, a supporting arm connected with the upper end of the strut and extending beneath the elevator frame to support the same, and a sustaining rod connected at its inner end to the harvester frame and connected at its outer end to the supporting arm and acting to sustain the sup orting arm, said sustaining rod being ad ustable in length to rock the strut on its axis and thereb vary the height of the discharge end of t e elevator frame.

2. In combination with a harvester frame, an elevator frame provided with elevating mechanism, said elevator frame being pivoted atits inner end to the rear end of the harvester frameon a fore and aftiaxis and extending upwardly therefrom at the side of the harvester, a supporting strut for the elevator frame sustained in front of the same and pivoted at its lower end to the harvester frame on a fore and aft axis disposed outward and in advance of the axis of the elevator frame, said strut extending upward'l a supporting arm extending rearwardly rom the strut beneath the elevator frame to support the same, and a sustaining rod pivoted at its upper end to the supporting arm adjacent the strut, and pivoted at its lower end to the harvester frame at a ends in hearings on the side of the harvester frame, a supporting strut for the elevator frame pivotally supported at its inner end by said sha'ft'at the rear end of the same and extending upwardly therefrom at an inclination, a supporting arm carried by the upper end of the strut and extending rearwardly therefrom beneath the elevator frame to support the same, and a sustaining rod connected at its outer end to the arm and connected at its inner end- ,to the harvester frame, said rod being adjustable in length to rock the strut on its axis and thereby vary the height of the discharge end of the elevator frame.

4. In combination with a harvester frame, an elevator frame provided with elevating mechanism, said elevator frame being pivoted at its inner end to the rear end of the harvester frame on a fore and aft axis and extending upwardly therefrom at the side of the harvester, a horizontal fore and aft extending shaft situated in front of the elevator frame and mounted at its opposite ends in bearings on the side of the harvester frame, a supporting strut for the elevator frame pivotally supported. at its inner end by said shaft at the' rear end of the same and extending upwardly therefrom at an inclination, a supporting ar'm carried by the upper end of the strut and extending rearwardly therefrom beneath the elevator frame to support the same, a sustaining rod connected at its outer end to the arm and connected at its inner end to the harvester frame, said rod being adjustable in length, and a brace rod connected at its outer end with the forward end of the supporting arm and connected at its inner end with the forward end of the shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have aifixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. CASE.

Witnesses:

EDGAR PENNEY, WM. J. MERKLE. 

